1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a motor vehicle roof structure with at least one roof part which is guided to be able to move in the area of the side members.
2. Description of Related Art
In conjunction with one such motor vehicle roof structure on a convertible, collapsibly coupling the side members to the B columns is known. This approach is complex and therefore can only be accomplished at high cost (see the German publication: ATZ 96 (1194) 4, p. 245 ff and U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,388).
In view of this prior art, the object of this invention is to improve a motor vehicle convertible structure of the initially mentioned type with respect to handling of the side members.
This object is achieved in a structure with at least one roof part which is movably guided in the area of the side members by the side members being detachably connected to vehicle-mounted parts, such as the A column and the B column of the vehicle body, by a plug-in and locking mechanism.
Accordingly, in other words, the invention calls for separate execution of the side members from the remaining convertible roof structure and their removability and reinstallation capacity on the A and B columns of the vehicle body, and the installation process for the side members can be comfortably executed by means of a plug-in/locking mechanism. In addition, the approach in accordance with the invention has the advantage that the side members which have been removed from the area of the roof can be easily stowed, for example, in the trunk, without interfering with the appearance of the vehicle.
To ensure mounting and dismounting of the side members without problems when the vehicle body is exposed to twisting forces, for example, when parking with one or two wheels on the sidewalk (as is common outside of the U.S.), it is advantageously provided that the plug-in/locking mechanism be made such that the mounted side members are suspended xe2x80x9cflexiblyxe2x80x9d relative to the vehicle body. This flexible suspension, which can also be called floating support of the side members without the introduction of bending moments into the side members, accordingly calls for limited mobility of the side members except for torsion. The closed support of the side members and their locking are such that, in spite of flexible or floating support of the side members, they are fixed on the body in the mounting position.
A host of mechanisms are possible as the plug-in/locking mechanism for the removable side members. One advantageous embodiment of this mechanism in accordance with the invention calls for the closed support to be located on one end of the side member, while the catch lock is made on the other end of the side members. This separate closed support and catch lock allow axial play for the side members in order to ensure the aforementioned floating support thereof.
Peripherally to the plug-in and locking functions which are distributed onto the ends of the side members, it is advantageously provided that the respective closed bearing forms a receiver of one end of a side member, a receiver which is torsionally strong relative to the lengthwise axis of the side member and when the catch lock of the other end of the side member is released for mounting and dismounting of the side member, the closed bearing allows swivelling of the side member transversely to the lengthwise axis of the side member. Here, it is fundamentally irrelevant which of the bearing components is located on the A column and which is located on the B column of the motor vehicle body.
To form the closed bearing, numerous versions can be used. In accordance with the invention, for the closed bearing, a ball head connection between the respective column and the end of the side member and rotary locking of the ball head connection with reference to the lengthwise axis of the side member are preferable. This rotary lock can be made, for example, in the form of a journal which fits into a recess. In this embodiment of the closed bearing the play necessary for the floating suspension of the side members is made available by the bearing on the other end of the member.
Alternatively to the aforementioned closed bearing design, the closed bearing can have a swivel connection with a swivel axis transversely to the side member and a claw which extends over the latter with play and which is preferably pressed against the swivel axis under a spring force.
Each of these swivel bearing designs makes it possible to detach the side member from the vehicle body by releasing the locking mechanism on one end and swivelling the side member around the closed bearing on the other end transversely to the lengthwise extension of the side member and removing it from the closed bearing. Mounting is performed with the reverse sequence of the above explained steps.
The catch lock on the end of the side member opposite the closed bearing comprises, preferably, a catch element and a locking element which detachably fixes it. Here, with regard to function, it is irrelevant whether the catch element or the locking element is located on the side member or on the respective body column.
According to one preferred embodiment, the catch element has a ball head connection which is supported to be able to move in the lengthwise direction of the side member and which allows easy locking and unlocking as a result of the sliding support. Alternatively, the catch element can have a pin which fits behind a centering opening in a lock part which forms the locking element with play and is pre-tensioned by a spring. Advantageously, the lock part is a component of a locking stopper which can be moved in the pin release position against the pre-tensioning of a spring and which is pre-tensioned in the locking position under pre-tensioning of a spring. This results in that, while ensuring the floating support of the side member, on this end of the side member, the side member locking can be actuated without controls in the interior of the vehicle.
These and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which, for purposes of illustration only, show several embodiments in accordance with the present invention.